A warm festive spirit is perfectly combined with a love story in a romantic comedy “Operation Mistletoe,” which is written and directed by Bradley Walsh and is scheduled for release in 2024. Jen Lilley stars as Grace and Nick Bateman as Ryan, two friends, or rather former students, who meet each other again during the Christmas time.
Synopsis
The action takes place in a small town called Ivy Glen with Grace, co-owner of K&R Interiors along with her best friend Olivia and Olivia’s husband Jack. Their ginger snowman ambitions are to decorate the town’s Christmas tree, in hopes to win the larger decorating bid for next Christmas. Their chance comes when the town’s mayor decides to bring back an event that was hosted by Ryan St. Nicholas’s grandmother… the only problem is that Ryan has moved away and is now a business man living in New York. No need to worry though; Ryan travelled back to Ivy Glen to sell his grandmother’s old house. The mayor asks Grace to try to convince Ryan to let the St. Nicholas House be used for the event saying that if it were successful, K&R interiors would be able to win the decorating bid for the town again.
During the organisation of the charity event, old feelings rise within Grace and Ryan. Olivia, noticing the estrangement of the two, decides to implement her “Operation Mistletoe” sexist and unrealistic, where the man is invited on the “targeted date”, hoping to bring the two closer together under the mistletoe. But the tensions grow with the arrival of Quinn, a real estate developer who wants to buy the St. Nicholas House and employ it for a new construction project. Grace is torn between business orientation and emotional attachment which brings forward a hope touching ending that is filled with love, family bonds, and Christmas spirit.
Cast & Crew
Jen Lilley as Grace: Grace’s role is portrayed by a very lively and warm character as Leslie is a co-owner – interior designer with K&R Interiors and puts effort in her work as well as her community. Lee brings delicacy into the character.
Nick Bateman as Ryan St. Nicholas: As Ryan is a hometown returning successful investment advisor he deals with his past and proper future as the present flows. Bateman in his performance engages the character in sight and builds anticipation of events wise for depth.
Steve Belford as Quinn: Twist comes with Quinn as an old acquaintance of Ryan and a developer. Now Quinn doesn’t sound very trustworthy in the outline.
Lisa Michelle Cornelius as Olivia: Olivia and Grace’s business and best friend is the person in charge of Mistletoe Operation, which adds an entertaining dimension to the plot of the events.
René Escobar Jr. as Jack: Co-owner of K&R Interiors with Olivia who is her Husband and always assisting both Grace and Olivia.
The film features the production of David Anselmo and Brad Krevoy with Ansley Gordon, Kathleen Knox and Bob Sáenz as the writers. The creative team manages to develop a story that intertwines love and the holiday spirit in a fashion that is profound.
Critical Reception
The film ‘Operation Mistletoe’ has been tagged with such accolades for its narrative and its festive themes. Moving on to the direction of the picture, Markos Papadatos of Digital Journal stated: ‘Nick Bateman and Jen Lilley deliver in the new holiday movie “Operation Mistletoe.” ‘It is a sweet and heartwarming story that will certainly put fans and viewers in the festive spirit’.
The storyline of the movie depicting a love story and a sense of community adds an element for people looking for a feel-good flick during the holidays. The film cultivates the chemistry between Lilley and Bateman of which Grits and Grains dubbed as one of the highlights of the picture.
Availability
On December 1, 2024, ‘Operation Mistletoe’ was released on The CW channel and now can also be watched on Hulu.
The platforms it is presented on makes it one of the appropriate choices for people looking for movies with the holiday theme.
Conclusion
‘Operation Mistletoe’ is a holiday romantic film which does not only focus on love but also how two parties come together as a community. It boasts of an interesting plot and beautiful cast performances which are exactly what viewers would be looking for during the holiday season, making it a strong holiday movie.
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